How Freshman Roommates Will Change Your Life

Before college, your only experience living with other people consists of slumber parties and summer camps. That leads to a rude awakening when you're all of a sudden sharing a closet-sized dorm room with a complete stranger. I was blessed enough to live with my best friend as a freshman, which gave me a sense of familiarity the moment I moved in, but 99% of students can probably relate a handful of roommate issues. No matter who you live with in the dorm, there are some basic things you'll have to learn to survive.

1. Everyone has weird habits, even you. Yes, you might be appalled your roommate eats tuna salad for breakfast or brushes her teeth in the shower, but she probably also thinks your stuffed rabbit from childhood should have stayed home.

2. Everyone feels alone and lost at some point. Stick together! No matter if you know zero or a million people coming into college, you'll have those weekend nights with no plans. Try to be a support system for each other instead of always running out with you own agenda.

3. Honest communication could probably eradicate every single roommate problem in the world. Drop the sarcasm and gossip, and find a moment (in private) to share any problems you have. Nothing is solved by running down the hall to blab your problems to someone else.

You learn a lot about yourself freshman year, and your roommate situation can either be a great learning experience or a daily struggle. It's up to you!

I'm a student at Indiana University and am very involved on campus! I work as a copy-editor and reporter for the Indiana Daily Student and am an editor for Arbutus. I also have a press relations internship with IU Liberian Collections and am a committee chair for Independent Council, an organization for women interested in philanthropy in a social atmosphere. With all these experiences, I can't imagine spending my college years anywhere but Indiana!